On the drop-weight testing of alumina/aluminum laminated composites

Abstract

Laminated composites with ceramic front layers and metallic or composite backing layers have gained attractiveness as 11,lightweight armours, as they exhibit the same ballistic performance with lower area] densities as compared to steels. Drop-weight testing (DWT) has potential for evaluating the low velocity impact behaviour or materials. This testing gives significant ideas and information about failure mechanisms and behaviour of materials under low velocity impact. In this study, DWT of alumina/aluminum laminated composites was done in order to investigate the effects of lamination type, density with respect to area and mechanical property of backing material on the low velocity ballistic performance of these composites. The experimental results showed that the laminated composite with ceramic front layer and aged-aluminum alloy as backing layer was the most effective among different investigated specimens against low velocity impact loads.